The invention relates generally to a roller affixed to the article-receiving rack in an automatic dishwater. Specifically, the invention is a roller which has a depending peripheral flange section integral with its support-engaging outer rim. The peripheral flange extends beyond the roller support during normal rack movement; however, should the rack become skewed inside the dishwasher, the flexible peripheral skirt would engage the roller support surface but without cutting or scoring thereof, due to the flexibility of the skirt. Coincident with such contact, a second generously radiused portion of the roller would engage the dishwasher tub sidewall to constrain the rack from further skewed movement and, simultaneously, urge the rack into alignment in the dishwasher.
One previous attempt at providing a dishrack support for a dishwasher is exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,248,158. However, no attempt was made to design the rollers on that dishwasher rack so that they would not cut a soft polymeric resinous door liner material if it were used. In fact, such cutting could easily occur if support arms 70 were to bend due to loading of the dishwasher rack.
Similarly, a device is shown in U.S. Pat. 3,194,610 which supports a dishwasher rack, but, like the '158 patent design, it does not provide for the eventuality that bending of the support bars or axle would allow the sharp edges of the wheel to cut any soft polymeric door liner.
The present invention is a simple, straightforward, easily-manufactured and readily-employed dishwasher rack wheel which is designed so that it overcomes the above-mentioned prior art deficiencies.